RJD MLA, 5 others held guilty of minor girl's rape

Patna: In a major embarrassment for the grand alliance in Bihar, the special court in Patna on Saturday held RJD MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav and five others guilty of luring and raping a minor girl in February 2016.

The court is expected to pronounce the quantum of punishment on December 21. Lawyers said that the girl was lured by a woman and was taken to the residence of MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav in Nawada district where he allegedly raped her.

“Six persons including RJD MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav have been held guilty by the court for raping a minor girl.  A school going girl was lured to his residence where she was held captive and raped. Raj Ballabh Yadav and five others were tried under various sections of the IPC including the POCSO act. We will pray for the maximum punishment on December 21,” lawyers said. After being identified by the victim Raj Ballabh Yadav had surrendered before the Chief Magistrate's court in March 2016 but was released after the Patna High Court granted him bail in September 2016.

The bail was however cancelled in November 2016 after the state government challenged it in the Supreme Court.

Raj Ballabh Yadav was named as one of the main accused in a charge sheet filed by the Nalanda police in April 2016 following which he was suspended from his party RJD.

Political analysts say that the rape case filed against Raj Ballabh Yadav played a major in creating differences between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD President Lalu Yadav in 2016. The RJD MLA surfacing at Lalu Yadav's residence after he was declared an absconder by Nalanda police had also created a major controversy in Bihar.

RJD was a major partner in the Nitish Kumar led Grand Alliance government in the state when the incident had occurred. The issue had led to the widespread condemnation against the grand alliance government.